Deployable Keel / Bow Mat

ABSTRACT

The apparatus may include a model that can be permanently mounted to the bow area of a boat or can be a stowable model that can be easily deployed by the boat operator. Further to this, the mat/apparatus may be motorized retractable, manually retractable, tethered or manually positioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Boat operators carefully maintain and operate their vessels protecting against damage and wear that ultimately lowers the value as well as the aesthetic appearance of their boat. In preventing unsightly wear and damage to their boats keel, many boat operators avoid landing their vessels on shore. In doing so, they are forced to anchor their vessel off of the shoreline or stand offshore holding the vessel in position thereby reducing the enjoyment of accessing beaches and exploring shorelines. When landing a vessel is unavoidable to on-load and off-load, the boat operator will undoubtedly cause wear damage to the boats keel.

Aside from the application of permanently installed wear material to a boats keel for the purposes of wear protection, a deployable keel/bow mat or similar apparatus has not been invented. The Deployable Keel/Bow Mat will provide a boat operator the means to land a vessel onto the shoreline of a water body minimizing wear and damage to the boats keel from rocks and sand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the following detailed portion of the description, the teachings of the present application will be explained in more details with reference to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the stowable, tethered Deployable Keel/Bow Mat attached to the bow of a boat in the deployed position approaching a shoreline.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the stowable, tethered Deployable Keel/Bow Mat attached to the bow of a boat in the deployed position with the boat in close proximity of the shoreline and the Keel/Bow mat coming into contact with the shore-line bottom.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the stowable, tethered Deployable Keel/Bow Mat attached to the bow of a boat in the deployed position with the boat landed onto the shoreline with the protective Keel/Bow mat positioned between the boat keel and the shoreline.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the mounted design Motorized/Spring and the Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat with the mat fully deployed approaching the shoreline.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the mounted design Motorized/Spring and the Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat with the mat fully deployed with the boat in close proximity of the shoreline and the Keel/Bow mat coming into contact with the shore-line bottom.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the mounted design Motorized/Spring and the Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat with the mat fully deployed with the boat landed onto the shoreline with the protective Keel/Bow mat positioned between the boat keel and the shoreline.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the stowable, tethered Deployable Keel/Bow Mat.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the mounted design Motorized/Spring and the Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat with the mat in the spooled in/stowed position.

FIG. 9 is a diagram of the mounted design Motorized/Spring and the Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat with the mat spooled out/deployed position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is the principle object of this invention to provide for a Deployable barrier/apparatus/mat/cushion that will provide wear protection/barrier to a boats Keel when landing upon the shoreline of a water-body. The Deployable Keel/Bow Mat is comprised of a durable, low friction flexible material that varies in size (Colour and composition) dependent upon the boat size and construction. The mat portion of the invention may also include varied geometries, materials and construction that maximizes keel protection as well as the effectiveness of deployment. Geometries, materials and construction that may vary with vessel sizing, required durability, deployment means and product improvements.

The deployment means of the Keel/Bow Mat may consist of a Motorized/Spring deployed retractable design, a Manual/Spring deployed retractable design, a corded/tethered manually deployed design or similarly deployed methods. The Deployable Keel/Bow Mat may also be deployed manually non-tethered. The Deployable Keel/Bow Mat may be of a permanently mounted design or a stowable design. When permanently installed or temporarily attached to the bow area of the boat, the attachment location and/or method may vary by design. The general application and purpose of the invention remains regardless of the design nuances. The specific embodiments set forth are provided to illustrate the invention and are not intended as limiting. Additional embodiments within the scope of the claims should be considered apparent.

Stowable, Tethered Deployable Keel/Bow Mat (Reference FIGS. 1, 2, 3 & 7)

The Stowable/Tethered apparatus consists of an attachment device (Clip, Velcro band, snap, etc) depicted as #1 of FIG. 7. The boat operator attaches said device to the boats front mounted cleats or hand rail or location so desired. Location of attachment can be seen as #1 on FIGS. 1 through to 3. One of the two attachment devices will attach to the left side of the boat whereas the second attachment will be on the right side of the boat.

The said attachment device connects the tether (Elastic cord, cord, rubber budgy, etc) There are two tethers depicted as #2 of FIG. 7. These tethers are attached via connection points (loops, clevis, clip etc) to the Keel/Bow Mat as depicted as #3 FIG. 7. The Keel/Bow Mat proper consists of an attachment pad (Same or differing material from wear Mat) as depicted as #5 of FIG. 7. Upper positioning logs (hollow tubes, solid rounds, looped pad, solid foam etc) as depicted as #4 of FIG. 7. Wear Mat (low friction/durable material with varied geometry) as depicted as #6 of FIG. 7. Lower positioning logs (hollow tubes, solid rounds, looped pad etc) as depicted as #7 of FIG. 7.

The Keel/Bow Mat may be installed at time of use or may be attached and ready to be deployed. If frequent landings are anticipated, the boat operator may leave the Keel/Bow Mat attached to the bow and simply stowed at the bow area inside the boat. As the operator begins to land the boat, they would simply throw the Keel/Bow Mat over the front of the bow as depicted in FIG. 1. The Keel/Bow Mat self positions via the Upper Positioning Logs as depicted in #3 FIG. 1. The tethers (#2 FIG. 1) hold the Keel/Bow Mat into position with each of the two Upper Positioning Logs on either side of the boat keel thereby centering the Keel/Bow Mat. The Lower Positioning logs which are designed with optimum buoyancy will ensure the Keel/Bow Mat is extended downward to the bottom of the water-body. The boat operator can then retreat to the controls and begin to approach the shoreline. As the boat nears the shoreline as depicted in FIG. 2, the Lower Positioning logs (#5 FIG. 2) will begin to contact the bottom bed of the water-body. As the boat moves forward, the Lower Positioning Logs (#5 FIG. 2) slide along the bottom positioning the Keel/Bow Mat under the boat and along the Keel. Once the boat comes into contact with the water-bodies bottom via the Keel/Bow Mat, it is advisable for the boat operator to exit the boat. At this point, the Keel is protected from wear and damage as the Keel/Bow Mat will be located between the boats Keel and the shoreline. The boat operator can then lift the front of the boat and pull it further up and onto the shoreline as depicted in FIG. 3. Once the boat bow can no longer be lifted, the boat operator can pull the boat sliding it along the Keel/Bow Mat to further land the boat onto the shoreline. In doing so, the tether (#2 FIG. 3) will stretch allowing the Keel/Bow Mat to slide down the Keel as depicted in FIG. 3. The Upper Positioning Logs (#3, FIG. 3) will move down the keel as part of the Keel/Bow Mat.

Although not advisable, the boat operator may choose to aggressively land the boat onto the shoreline. In doing so, the Keel/Bow Mat will tether down the boats keel and the boat will slide up onto the shoreline until the Upper Positioning Logs stop the forward movement wedging between the shoreline and the boat as depicted in FIG. 3. As noted, this is not advisable as it will reduce the service life of the Keel/Bow Mat material.

When the boat operator wishes to depart from the shoreline, the Keel/Bow Mats low friction design allows for an easier launching of the boat.

Mounted Motorized/Spring or Manual/Spring Deployable Keel/Bow Mat (Reference FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 8 & 9)

The embodiments of the invention, be it Stowable/Tethered, Mounted/Motorized, Mounted/Manual or simply manually positioned are similar and all encompassing with the general principal claims maintained. That being, a deployable protective barrier used to protect the Keel of a boat when landing upon a shoreline. The invention may include many designs of which include varied deployment methods. For the purposes of representation, the Mounted/motorized and Mounted/manual embodiments will be similar and are depicted in FIGS. 8 & 9. FIG. 8 showing the apparatus in the retracted position and FIG. 9 showing the apparatus in the partially deployed position. The use will be similar as well as depicted in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

The apparatus consists of a drive unit (#1 FIG. 8 and #1 FIG. 9) (Drive unit may include gearbox, tensioners, crank gears, electric motor etc) which provides a power means of deploying and retracting the Keel/Bow Mat (#2 FIG. 8 and #2 FIG. 9). The Drive Unit is attached to the bow of the boat by means of an attachment point (Bracket, housing, plate, etc) (#4 FIG. 8 and FIG. 9). The Wear Mat proper (#2 FIG. 8 and FIG. 9) (low friction/durable material with varied geometry) is spooled into or out-of the drive unit (#1 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9) as depicted in FIGS. 4, 5 & 6. The Wear Mat proper includes Lower positioning logs (hollow tubes, solid rounds, looped pad etc) as depicted as #5 of FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. Although not shown, the Wear Mat proper may also include upper positioning design provisions suitable for spooling into the drive unit (#1 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9). The apparatus includes a roller device (#3 FIG. 8 and FIG. 9) (Roller, tensioner, positioner etc) that provides for directional change of the Wear Mat Proper (#2 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9). In addition to directional change (#3 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9) may also be so designed to provide tensioning, spooling, positioning or parking means for the Wear Mat proper (#2 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9). The roller device (#3 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9) may also be so designed as integral to the Drive Unit (#1 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9). The apparatus will include a crank mechanism (#6 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9) that will provide for manual retraction and deployment of the Wear Mat proper (#2 FIG. 8 & FIG. 9).

An embodiment of the invention will provide for varied means of motorized operation including a remotely wired control switch/module and/or a locally mounted control switch/module.

In the case of a remotely wired control switch/module, the boat operator may deploy the Keel/Bow Mat from the boat cockpit as he/she approaches the shoreline. While not exclusive to larger vessels, the mounted motorized or mounted manual models would be best suited for large vessels requiring larger Wear Mat Proper (#2 FIGS. 8 & 9). The principle of operation of the Motorized and/or manual mounted Keel/Bow Mat as depicted in FIG. 4, 5 &6 is similar to that of the Deployable Tethered Keel/Bow Mat outlined above. 

1. A deployable protective barrier used to protect the Keel of a boat when landing upon a shoreline.
 2. A deployable barrier, apparatus, mat or cushion of such a design to minimize or eliminate the wear to a boats keel when landing on the shoreline of a body of water.
 3. A barrier, apparatus, mat or cushion as claimed in 1, where said deployment may be of any means including but not limited to a Motorized/Spring deployed retractable design, a Manual/Spring deployed retractable design, a corded/tethered manually deployed design or simply an un-tethered manual placement of the apparatus.
 4. A barrier, apparatus, mat or cushion as claimed in 1, where the invention may yield aesthetic visual effects. Lettering or Artwork may be added to the apparatus for the purposes of promotional advertising/branding, personalization or decorative appearance. 